While You Were Sleeping
by Friends Babe
Summary: A shout. A scream. A struggle. A life. Was I sleeping while the others suffered?
1. A Shout

> > I've been reading Waiting For Godot at school and was suddenly struck with inspiration during a lesson when I read the words "Was I sleeping while the others suffered?". T'was most inconvenient. I originally wrote it with a different storyline involving Monica and Richard but then changed it when I realised I didn't want to just write about Monica again. I wanted the rest of the guys in there! Well, I hope you like. Please tell me what you think.  
  
**While I lay sleeping**  
  
The group making their way through the turrets of leaves littering the New York pavements were indistinguishable from the millions of others enjoying the early Autumn sunshine. There was nothing to set them apart from the crowd of people surrounding them. No distinguishing marks, no real clues as to what was to come. Those who saw them that day, laughing and joking as only the best friends can, never expected, never even contemplated, waking up to their faces the following morning. Staring up at them from their morning paper.  
  
"Monica! Monica come on!" Ross shouted back to his sister, even at seeing the back of 30 he still felt like a twelve year old when he was around Monica. Teasing, competing, joking with each other. It just seemed so natural. "We're going to be late!" Glancing at her again he was faced instead with a beautiful young woman. Her arms entwined with Chandlers, their eyes staring only at each other. Ross doubted if she'd even heard him. Laughing he focused his attention back onto Rachel. She was walking slightly in front of him , her golden brown hair tumbling down past her shoulders as she giggled with Phoebe. One hand rested protectively over the rounded shape of her body and Ross found his heart skip a beat. Even now, with Emma at pre-school, their wedding arranged and the nursery painted, Ross still couldn't believe that they were finally together again. Slipping up behind his fiancée, he placed his hands protectively around her waist fitting them together effortlessly.  
  
Chandler glanced at Monica before leaning in and gently kissing her forehead. Smiling down at her he felt a sudden rush of love. The same rush he felt every time he looked at her. The same rush he always though he'd missed his chance at ever feeling.  
  
"You sure you don't want to come?"  
  
"Chandler it's coffee. I have coffee with you guys everyday. I'll be fine"  
  
Chandler starred back at her, unconvinced, "Are you sure?"  
  
"It's a headache Chandler, not the plague!", before he could protest again Monica quickly cut him off with a kiss, "I'll be fine. You just go and get yourself some coffee. I'll see you later!" Walking back towards their apartment, comforting herself with images of warm baths, quilts and painkillers she suddenly paused and turned towards Chandler just long enough to shout, "I love you ... "
>> 
>> --------------------  
  
A shout. A scream. A struggle. A life.
>> 
>> --------------------  
  
Monica slowly made her way out of the steaming bathroom and, after pausing to place her neatly folded clothes in the laundry basket, walked into her bedroom. Wincing slightly as she waited for the painkillers to take effect, she felt herself begin to involuntarily think. Her and Chandler would be moving out soon, ready to start a family. She'd have to say goodbye to it all. To this room, the room where so much of her life had taken place. She loved this room. She loved the smell of the curtains and the way her bed fitted perfectly in-between the two drawers.  
  
Sinking into the warm, comforting feeling of the freshly washed duvet, Monica felt herself slipping restlessly into sleep. Into the free world of dreams.
>> 
>> --------------------  
  
Was I sleeping while the others suffered?
>> 
>> --------------------  
  
"Ross! We're in public!" Rachel screamed as once again Ross leaned forward to stroke her stomach and gently brush his lips against hers.  
  
"So?! That's my baby in there. My little Gus ... "  
  
"Seriously? Gus Geller?"  
  
Looking at each other, their faces relaxed and trying to control the inevitable smile, it was plain for all to see how in love they were. They were made for each other. This baby was just God's way of making it all official.  
  
Suddenly they were all aware of a shadow lurching over them, frozen. Phoebe glanced around and seeing the familiar face, smiled as the tension in her body released.  
  
"Hey – "she never finished her sentence. The scream she felt escaping from her own mouth abandoned all other words.


	2. A Scream

> While You Were Sleeping
> 
> Part 2
>
>> A scream.  
  
Monica sat up and spun around violently, searching for the source of the noise. Damp with sweat it dawned on her that the scream had been her own. Sitting on her warm bed her breathing began to slow. She didn't know what had caused her to scream, she must have been dreaming but she couldn't quite remember what about. Still not entirely sure that her comforting bedroom was actually safe; Monica stood up and padded through into the kitchen. Flicking on the kettle Monica felt herself shivering. Deciding against the coffee she suddenly realised that the apartment was empty. She found herself glancing around nervously, as though searching for some invisible assailant. It was only when she forced herself to calm down that she remembered.  
  
The coffee house.  
  
They were all at Central Perk. Ignoring the almost boiled kettle Monica slipped her shoes on and practically ran down the stairs. Anything to get her away from the thoughts that haunted her mind.
>> 
>> --------------------  
  
In the coffee house everything was still. The door was still unlocked, having been forgotten in amongst the chaos. Chairs littered the previously clean floor, remaining where they had landed almost an hour ago. Nothing had been touched. No soul had entered since IT had all started. No one had yet witnessed the violence.
>> 
>> --------------------  
  
Monica pushed open Central Perks door almost violently. She was too desperate to see her friends that she forgot her own strength. Shouting into the coffee shop, she didn't even notice its emptiness.  
  
"Guys? Guys you there?"  
  
It was only then that se glanced around and saw the devastation around her. The chairs were thrown around, broken glass littered the floor. For an instant Monica feared there'd been a robbery. Then that thought vanished, replaced by an even greater one.  
  
In her rush she had only really seen the patch of floor in front of her. Glancing around she was faced with images she would pray until her dying day to forget. Her friends, lying broken and bloodied on the floor. Monica was unable to help herself. Some deep part of her brain knew she shouldn't, told her she should call the police, but she couldn't stop it. She needed to know.  
  
Rushing towards the nearest figure Monica gently turned them to face her. Seeing the familiar brown hair, now matted with blood, in her fingers, it took all her energy not to vomit.  
  
Chandler  
  
Chandler was there. And if he was injured, they all were. Her life, her friends, her everything, lying there dead on the floor of a New York coffee shop. She rushed around to them all, not really aware of her actions. Too dazed to really focus. She was still hoping, praying she was dreaming when she found herself staring down at Rachel's face, perfectly framed by her long hair. Her arms were still wrapped tightly around her body, but judging from the blood seeping from under her T-shirt, her baby hadn't survived the attack. Monica was still staring at her when she heard the noise behind her.  
  
Jumping, Monica glanced back. Seeing only Ross. Ross. A perfectly healthy Ross, apart from the dazed look on his face and the slight hint of blood around his temple. Monica made to stand up and embrace him, longing for his inevitable reassuring hug. It never came.  
  
Before she could understand the situation Ross lunged towards her, knocking her flying with his hand as he crouched down besides Rachel.  
  
"Rachel? Honey? Are you OK? Rach! Can you hear me?!" turning to Monica with pure hate in his eyes he shouted, "How could you?! Why Monica? Why did you - ?! They're your friends. They're all your friends – "  
  
Monica was stunned, she wasn't even sure how to answer, and her brain and her mouth were not yet communicating properly, "I didn't. No Ross. Not me. I – "her voice trailed away, the thoughts in her mind now vanished as she stared down at them both, injured and bleeding. She barely even noticed the arm taking her wrist and slowly pulling her away. She didn't notice the NYPD badge as it escorted her to a waiting car. She barely even acknowledged the words,  
  
"It's OK sweetheart. We'll take you somewhere safe now"  
  
Was I sleeping while the others suffered?


	3. A Struggle

_Thanks to everyone who's replied so far, it's really encouraging! I know some of this is confusing, it's going to carry on being confusing! LOL. But I like it that way. This is unlike anything I've ever written before and I just want to go with the flow for a bit. _

****

**While You Were Sleeping**

**Part 3**

> Sitting on the hard plastic of the hospital Emergency Room, Monica didn't know whether or not to cry. Her entire life had possible been taken away from her in one fail swoop. She was sitting there waiting to be told if her husband, if her friends, had died or not. Waiting to be told if Ross would let her in yet. He wouldn't accept that she knew nothing, she was as upset about IT as he was. That she was the one eaten up with guilt for not being there. For not suffering as they did. For being asleep, warm in her bed when IT happened.  
  
Only she didn't know if she had been.  
  
Stop it.  
  
A shout. A scream. A struggle. A life.  
  
STOP IT!  
  
For the one thing worse than waiting there for the news, for any news, was the thoughts rolling themselves around inside Monica's head. Ever since Ross had looked at her with such hatred, such conviction that it was her, that she was the one who had pulled a gun on all of her friends, was that Monica couldn't be sure that she hadn't. She thought, no she knew, she had been asleep. But she couldn't remember anything from that time. She remembered going into her bedroom and sitting down. And then . . .  
  
Nothing.  
  
Nothing until the moment she woke up, the scream still fresh on her lips. The terror she had felt when she woke, the uneasiness. It all pointed to one thing. And Monica couldn't bear to even think about that. Struggling to regain her already lost composure Monica found herself staring down at her hands. The hands Chandler kissed every morning before he left for work. The hands now caked with his blood. The tears Monica had fought so hard against won as they began to flow. Each one trailing down her already damp cheek before leaving a puddle in the centre of her palms. Monica watched, transfixed, as the drying blood moistened again and began to swim with her tears forming patterns and shapes Monica had never even seen before.  
  
"Excuse me, Miss?"  
  
Monica didn't look up. She didn't want to. If she looked up now she'd take in her surroundings and realise that it was all true, that they were all dead. That she had probably killed them.  
  
STOP IT!  
  
"Miss? Miss I need you to come with me now"  
  
The voice was still speaking in her ear, telling her she needed to go now. It was all alright, she was safe now. Only she wasn't. No one was. Not when she was around. Not when she had just killed everyone she ever cared about.  
  
"Miss, I'm sorry, but you have to come with me now"  
  
Monica looked up and immediately began to sob again. The deep blue eyes of the man reminded her so much of Chandler. The way in which she could loose herself in them, the way she so frequently did. Dissolving into them rapidly she no longer resisted when she took her arm and guided her towards another room, Monica wasn't even sure where this room was, she just wanted to stare into his eyes forever. As he placed her down into what Monica assumed was a sofa a fleeting thought of who might have sat there before her broke her stare. Now sitting opposite the man Monica became aware of his badge, the same badge that had taken her away from her friends. He would know! He'd know where they were; he'd understand that it wasn't her fault. Jumping to her feet Monica began yelling at him; desperate for the answers she knew he held.  
  
"Please! Tell me! I know you know – they were there. I just need to – Please officer!! Please!"  
  
The Officer smiled at Monica faintly, and gestured for her to sit. "I'm sorry Miss, if you want any answers your going to have to calm down and try that again"  
  
Monica sat and tried to breathe, but her eyes again focused on her bloodstained hands. Suddenly she found she didn't need to breathe.  
  
"Are they dead?"  
  
The calmness with which she had asked that astounded even herself. Still staring down at her red hands Monica heard him reply,  
  
"I'm sorry Miss, we did recover four dead bodies from the area"  
  
The tears came again then, thick and fast; dropping onto her upturned palms, piercing each time they fell. Knowing now that this was it. They were all gone, knowing that Ross would tell them all what she feared, Monica didn't even try to stop the army of cries.  
  
Was I sleeping while the others suffered?  
  
Or was I there with them?


	4. A Life

**While You Were Sleeping**

**Part 4**

> Ross walked back from the private room. The bare walls, so similar to the ones he worked within every day, now appeared to bore down upon him. All he could see was the whiteness, the blankness, the lack of any personal feeling or emotion. The knowledge that people had gone into that room to die. That his Rachel was probably facing the same fate.  
  
"Mr Geller? Mr Geller your sister would like to see you ... "  
  
Monica.  
  
His sister.  
  
The Monica who only hours ago he had accused of killing them all, of hurting them all. He wasn't so sure now. Hate still bubbled through his veins like a vicious army determined on revenge, but now he wasn't sure if she was the one he needed to hurt. As much as the evidence pointed towards her, as much as his irrational brain told him it was her, she was standing over them when he came to. As much as he wanted her to be the easy answer he knew somewhere, she just wasn't.  
  
Ross didn't answer the man. He allowed himself to be led along the corridor towards an equally blank and unfriendly room. Staring at the door Ross was suddenly aware that Monica was his sister, his baby sister. Pushing the door open slightly he walked in and sat on the hard couch beside her.  
  
"Hey"  
  
He could think of nothing else to say, nothing to convey to her the pain and emotion he felt at what he had jut experienced. The guilt he felt for still being alive when others were dead. The pain he felt for not being there to protect the only people he loved, for not being able to save his baby. The hatred he felt towards her, for leaving, for choosing life over death. For leaving them all alone to suffer while she slept. And then the anger he felt at himself for whishing his sister dead. He looked over at her, at the tears falling softly into her bloodstained palms and he pulled her towards him. Hugging her close. Reassuring her as best he could.  
  
He didn't speak. He couldn't. He knew if he opened his mouth he'd blame her again, jus for the convenience of having the matter closed, just for the sake of being able to move on, seal it all in a little place and leave it well alone.  
  
They sat there, embracing, neither speaking, for what felt like hours. Both knowing that if they dared to move the illusion they had created could be shattered. They could move and everything could have changed. They could all be dead, instead of dying. Everything could have changed. In an instant.  
  
A shout. As scream –  
  
Just like before. Just when you're feeling safe and secure. Just when things are going great and everything is fine something has to happen to remind you that you're only human.  
  
A struggle. A life.
> 
> --------------------  
  
Anyone watching the almost heart rendering embrace would have been touched. Anyone knowing the story leading to that embrace probably would have cried. Yet the dark hospital corridors, long since abandoned for the release of sleep, remained silent. Waiting for the release of another one of their own.
> 
> --------------------  
  
"Miss Geller? Miss Geller you need to wake up now"  
  
Monica shook the hand away from her face. She didn't want to wake up. In her dream she had been with Him again, happy again. Waking brought only tears and pain.  
  
"Miss Geller if you refuse to get up I will be forced to arrest you"  
  
Monica stopped resisting. The police knew now. They knew what she wished with all her heart she knew. They knew she had killed them. Killed them all. They saw her for who she really was. Allowing herself to be helped up, Monica felt herself straightening her hopelessly crumpled blouse. There was no point to any of it anymore.  
  
"Miss Geller, we just need you to answer a few questions"  
  
This was it.  
  
No more games.  
  
Was I there while the others suffered?


	5. Waiting

> _Well this is Part 5 and I'm really glad you guys are enjoying it! I apologise for the delays in chapters but my AS exams started in the middle of this so I had to revise for that but I'm back now! OK! And please could you review? See how tempting the little button is ... go on ... click it ... you know you want to ...._
> 
> ****
> 
> **While You Were Sleeping**
> 
> **Part 5**
>
>> Monica didn't know what to say. She didn't know how to behave. What to even feel at that moment. She couldn't find the words to convey how she felt, to tell them all how much she hated this. How much she wanted to change it all, to go back, to take a tablet in the coffee house rather than go home, to be with them all the way, to know that it wasn't her. It wasn't.  
  
"Miss Geller, you were the first one on the scene?"  
  
Monica nodded, she didn't have the strength to answer.  
  
"Can you describe for me what happened then?"  
  
Monica took a shallow breath and stared down at her knees, "I saw them all lying there. I don't know if they were breathing, they were all so still. I saw Chandler and that's when I started crying, I ran around. I tried to help them but it was too late. Ross woke up when I was with Rachel, I don't think the baby was ... ok ... anymore. He started yelling and then I was here"  
  
"These would be, Mr Chandler Bing, Mrs Rachel Geller-Green and Mr Ross Geller?"  
  
Monica nodded again. "They're dead aren't they?" The time for subtly had passed. Monica needed to know, she needed to know now. She couldn't just sit there and let everything pile up without asking the obvious question. They were her friends, her family, her life. She couldn't just ignore that.  
  
"I'm sorry Miss Geller, it's not my place to – "  
  
"- Please!"
>> 
>> --------------------  
  
The blue eyes pleaded. The eyes that could reflect all emotions in a heartbeat. Love, lust, belonging, contentment.  
  
Hate? Anger? Pain? Torture?  
  
The eyes scared him, unsure of what they had seen before.
>> 
>> -------------------  
  
"Miss, we recovered 4 dead bodies from the scene – "  
  
"- Was it them?"  
  
The officer checked the slip of paper in front of him. "No M'am. I can't reveal the names until the families have been informed, but there is no Bing, Geller, or Geller-Green on this list" He moved away from her.  
  
Monica jumped up after him, "Tribianni! Buffay! What about them?"  
  
"I'm sorry Miss, I've already told you more than I should. You just need to wait here now"  
  
Monica was confused, her interview was over. Why did she need to wait anywhere? She should be told to go to Chandler now, to her love. To be able to see his beautiful blue eyes again and know that she hadn't hurt him, she would know she was sleeping.  
  
"What am I waiting for?"  
  
The officer paused, he hadn't expected that. He assumed she would know the situation, the complications. He refused to turn around and face her, he couldn't see those eyes again, "We're checking alibis Miss. Whoever hasn't got one needs to be detained until they're eliminated"  
  
I wasn't sleeping.  
  
They know.  
  
The others suffered and I towered over them.


	6. Towering

_Wow! I've not updated this in a long while! I am really sorry, the fic is based on another site and I kept updating there (I think to about Chapter 10) and then realised I'd not done the same here for ages! I do apologise, but I hope you can forgive me and find it in your hearts to leave me some reviews :D _

_Thanks again for being so patient, and in case you were wondering, no I don't own them ... _

****

**While You Were Sleeping**

**Part 6**

**  
**  
"Monica. Monica"  
  
The word meant nothing to her now. She wasn't Monica. She could never be Monica again. To all the world she was a killer. To her own mind she was a killer.  
  
But are you?  
  
No matter what she did those three words kept reverberating around her mind. No matter how much she thought it couldn't possibly be here there was still that doubt that told her it might have been. That told her she could never be sure. And until then there was nothing she could do but wait. And sleep.  
  
"Monica, it's Ross"  
  
"Ross?"  
  
"Monica I need to speak to you. Now"  
  
Monica sat up then. She had to. There was something in his voice that told her she needed to hear what he had to say. She needed to know. Staring up at him Monica was suddenly aware of the bags under his eyes and the five o'clock shadow no turning towards six. With a jolt she realised she wasn't the only one affected by this. He was worried too. But, she thought with a flash of resentment, at least he knew how they were. At least he could see them. The anger she had tried to repel suddenly came back with vengeance.  
  
"What is it Ross?"  
  
Monica noticed him taking a breath, the way he always did before he had something important or hard, to tell her.  
  
"Dad's found you a lawyer in Manhattan. He's coming to see you first thing tomorrow. Until then he says not to worry. You've not been arrested yet. He's sure this will all blow over"  
  
Monica wasn't so sure. Before she could speak Ross continued.  
  
"Until everyone wakes up there's no proof it was you"  
  
"Until?" Monica sat bolt upright, he had said until they were awake. That meant they couldn't be dead. They couldn't be!  
  
"Yeah, Rachel's still sedated until they can control her blood loss. Chandler's sedated until after the surgery and, well, Phoebe and Joey don't look good"  
  
Monica felt her heart catch in her chest. They were still alive, at least for now. No matter what had happened her friends were still alive, and that had to count for something. Sitting there on the hard plastic chair Monica felt her spirits lift for the first time in days. They were alive. And that meant soon she would know, soon she'd know whether or not she had caused their suffering.  
  
She would know if she had been with them, or if she had been sleeping.  
  
Monica didn't know which was worse. Each brought with it guilt and suffering of it's own. For each Monica knew she would never forgive herself.  
  
Never.


	7. Doubting

**While You Were Sleeping**

**Part 7  
**

Ross walked down the long, winding corridor. He hated that corridor. He had to walk down it everyday and everyday he wondered if they would still be alive when he reached the end. So far they had, but the doctors weren't optimistic. And they all stared at him every time he walked up to Rachel's bed. Every time he sat down he could feel their eyes boring into him. He could practically hear them talking about him "It's his sister you know, she's the one who did this". Ross wished he could defend her, he really did but ...  
  
Somewhere deep inside he believed them.  
  
NO!  
  
Somewhere there was that little shadow of doubt that he couldn't shake, no matter how hard he tried to ignore it. The one thing that was keeping him going was the knowledge that until Monica was arrested there was no proof.  
  
Until?  
  
That made it sound inevitable.  
  
It wasn't. He knew it wasn't. She'd probably never be arrested. This was Monica. His sister. His only sister. The woman who was married to his best friend. The woman he had lived with for 16 years. She wasn't a killer. She couldn't be. The police would see that sooner or later.  
  
"Mr Geller?"  
  
Ross glanced up at the sound of his name. He'd heard it almost continually over the last week. Doctors, nurses, lawyers, funeral directors. They'd all called him Mr Geller. On any other day he'd have corrected them, "It's Dr Geller". Not now. Now it didn't even matter what they called him. He had to plan his daughter's funeral and pray her mother came round.  
  
"Mr Geller, we have your father on line one if you'd like to speak with him"  
  
Ross nodded. He didn't see the need for a vocal reply. Walking into the bare corridor, Ross picked up the phone and cradled it in his neck,  
  
"Hello?"  
  
A shout  
  
"Ross?"  
  
A scream  
  
"Dad, what's going on?"  
  
A struggle  
  
"It's Monica"  
  
A life  
  
"They've got a warrant for her arrest."  
  
Ross didn't reply. He didn't even hang up. He threw the phone down and ran, ran as fast as he could towards the small room he knew Monica was in. She had been allowed to visit Chandler today. He knew she was still there. He didn't even think about what he was doing, all his previous doubts vanished in an instant as he raced towards her. He knew she needed him now. Barging into the small room Ross saw them. The two NYPD officers, there to take her. He didn't speak, he couldn't. He just watched as they talked,  
  
"Monica Elaine Geller. I'm arresting you on suspicion of murder in the first degree, attempted murder, wounding with intent and false imprisonment. You have the right to an attorney and to have him present during questioning. You have the right to remain silent but anything you do not mention which you later rely on in court will be used against you. If you'd like to come with me"  
  
Ross remained silent as they took her away. He simply watched from the window as his sister was handcuffed and put in the back of the police car. He couldn't move. He knew if he did this would all suddenly become real. He couldn't cope with that. He could live with the suspicion. The questioning. He could ignore it, "Nothing was certain", He couldn't ignore an arrest. An arrest meant the police believed the suspicion. And Ross couldn't cope with that. For the first time he asked himself,  
  
**Was** she sleeping while the others suffered? 


	8. Suffering

> _Sorry for the long delay again guys. I keep forgetting to upload here! The good news is I've written up to Part 13 now, so I'm going to start posting on Tuesdays and Saturdays from now on. To get you guys caught up. I've also got two new fics coming out here very soon. _
> 
> _Sweet Beginings and Bitter Endings is a Mondler fic from before Friends started. I've tried to make sure certain things match up but it isn't realistic. That should be out by Wednesday. _
> 
> _Two Beds and a Coffee Machine is again, a Mondler. Monica is married to an abusive husband and she uses Rachel's wedding as a chance to escape him. That should be out by next Sunday._
> 
> _Hope you enjoy this!_ _And no, I still don't own them. _
> 
> ****
> 
> **While You Were Sleeping**
> 
> **Part 8**
> 
> ****
> 
> Monica glanced up at the clock beside her bed. If she could even call it a bed. It was more a concrete block handily positioned next to a ceramic, off- white toilet. Monica hated this room. She hated it more than she hated herself right now. Looking quickly around it to check for any rogue insects that may have wandered in during the night. Noticing none she slowly manoeuvred herself until she was able to stand up with the minimum possible noise. She knew if she alerted anymore attention to herself, today of all days, Today when she had to stand in front of people she had never met and try and convince them of her innocence. Convince them when she herself wasn't sure if she was innocent. Convince them while her friends still lay dying. Convince them while she knew her husband was fighting for his life and all she could do for him was pray. She couldn't even hold his hand and tell him she loved him.  
  
Was he the scream?  
  
Did he struggle as he went down?  
  
Did he see her face?  
  
Was his last memory that of his wife shooting him?  
  
Was he still alive?  
  
Suddenly, out of the distance, the phone rang.
> 
> --------------------  
  
No. No No. It couldn't be. No. Monica no. Monica stop it. Monica no! Please Monica! No  
  
No  
  
No  
  
No  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Mr Geller? It's Mr Hargreaves here, your sister's lawyer. We have a development. A woman's come forward. Claims to have been in the coffee house at the time of the shooting. I don't know what she's said yet but it's looking good. It's looking good"  
  
Ross couldn't deal with that. Not today. Not when he had to give evidence for his sister. Evidence he wasn't even sure was true. Evidence he didn't want to give, he couldn't give it. Not when he didn't know. How could he stand up in court and protest his sisters innocence when he wasn't even sure she was? When she could be the one who was causing his sleepless nights. His nightmares. The images he had of Phoebe's face, smiling and greeting the person. And then darkness. In his mind he could never imagine the persons face. He could hear their breathing as he fell to the ground and a scream, he wasn't sure whose, as everything collapsed around him.  
  
"Mr Geller? Mr Geller are you there?"  
  
Ross nodded, and then realised Mr Hargreaves couldn't even see him, a fact he was grateful for. He didn't want anyone to see him like this. "Yes, yes I am"  
  
He hard an inaudible grunt from the other end and waited for a reply, "Well I'll see you at one, alright? The trial starts at 12 and your welcome to arrive early but you can't be in there"  
  
He hung up.  
  
Ross ran to the bathroom and only lifted the toilet lid up a second before he vomited. His sisters trial started today. Her trial for murder. And for the attempted murder of his wife, his friends. Friends who stood a strong chance of dying before the year was out. Ross glanced up and caught his reflection in the mirror Rachel had placed above their sink. His eyes, bloodshot from lack of sleep, stared back at him devoid of any emotion. He'd survived. He'd screamed but he'd lived.  
  
How could that be worse than dying?


	9. Interogation

Please review, as I'm starting to think people don't care about this. I'd really love to hear what you all think so let me know!

**While You Were Sleeping**

**Part 9**

"Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God?"  
  
Monica nodded and then, unsure of how these procedures went, added as a formality, "Yes, yes I do"  
  
She watched as the uniformed guard sat down and her own lawyer stood up. She still wasn't sure if he could win her the case but she had no choice now. He was there. Her freedom hung in the balance and him, plus 12 people she had never even met, had the power to grant it or take it. Sitting as she was instructed to do, she watched as Mr Hargreaves made his standard talk. Telling them all she was innocent. Mentioning that she loved her husband and would never attempt to kill him. She loved her friends, she loved them all. She'd never hurt them. Eventually he sat down and a tall blonde woman with hair piled above her head stood up. Monica assumed she was the prosecution. The woman approached Monica and started firing questions at her, her nasal tones never leaving her,  
  
"Where were on the night of the 22nd November?"  
  
"At home"  
  
"Alone?"  
  
"Yes"  
  
"You never left you apartment?"  
  
"No"  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
Monica paused. If she was honest she wasn't sure. She had no idea if she'd stayed in that apartment, gone to sleep and then woken up with a scream reverberating around her brain. Of if somewhere in the middle of it all she walked downstairs, shot her best friends and murdered four people. Aware that this was not what she was supposed to say she nodded and then repeated,  
  
"Yes. Yes I'm sure"  
  
She saw the lawyer watching her every move and Monica was suddenly self conscious. All these people were watching her. Everyone's eyes were on her, they all wanted to know why she'd done it. Oh, they all knew she'd done it. They just wanted to know what had driven her to it.  
  
"Why did you hate your husband?"  
  
Monica recoiled, horror struck, "What?" she whispered,  
  
"Why did you hate your husband?" she asked again, "Was it because he couldn't give you children? He was cheating on you? You were cheating on him and couldn't bear to leave him?"  
  
"STOP IT!" She yelled, horrified at all her personal business being dragged around the court like some kind of sick gossip column. The accusations were flying at her and she was powerless to stop them, all she could do was try and explain. Glancing quickly at her own lawyer, knowing he would not approve of what she was about to do, she took a deep breath and began to speak.  
  
"I have never hated my husband. I love him. It's not his fault we can't have children, it's ours. I don't know who shot him, or my friends. Or who killed those people. I don't even know that it wasn't me. I was asleep. I can remember sitting on my bed and the suddenly two hours had passed and I was awake. And that's something I can never forgive myself for. My friends suffered, they screamed and they bled and people I cared about died. And during that I was asleep. I wasn't with them. I don't deserve to be standing here, I deserve to be with them. Lying in a hospital bed hooked up to more machines than I have ever seen in my life. I love them," she cried, tears no flowing freely, "I love them and I survived while they suffered. Punish me as much as you want. Nothing can ever be worse than how I feel right now" Monica sank back into her seat sobbing. In her distress she barely even noticed the uniformed officer walking towards the judge. She simply continued to sob.  
  
"Miss Geller that outburst would usually result in a warning, but I shall let it pass this time. Court will adjourn now while the charges brought against Miss Geller are reviewed"  
  
Monica was lead away, the Judges words ringing in her head. 'Reviewed'. That could only mean they were changing the. And that could only mean that someone else had died. Someone else was dead. With a jolt Monica realised the only people still alive following the shooting were her friends. Her friends, her husband. One of them was now dead, and she was charged with their murder.  
  
"ROSS!" she yelled hysterically as the guards began forcing her through the door, "Ross!! Please! Who?!"  
  
Her refused to answer her. Turning his face away as he pulled a tattered handkerchief from his jacket pocket.  
  
One more was gone.  
  
One more life taken away.  
  
Who was next?


	10. Witness

_This is the next part! Several of you have asked me where this was originally posted. It's on a forum for a_ _British TV show and I'm unsure about giving their address to too many people! If anyone really wants to know , leave me your e-mail in a review __and I'll gladly let you know. In the meantime - review! :) _

****

**While You Were Sleeping**

**Part 10**

Monica took her seat again, feeling far worse than she had ever felt before. The jury were still staring over her, judging her every movement. They now knew who else was dead. Something Monica had not yet been told.  
  
She'd tried.  
  
She'd pleaded.  
  
She shouted  
  
She'd screamed.  
  
No one replied.  
  
Ross hadn't told her. He'd refused to see her since her trial had been adjourned. He'd completely ignored her since then. He hadn't looked at her once, and she couldn't take it. Since her arrest he'd been the one person who'd believed her. Who'd stood by her and agreed to testify on her behalf. But now he couldn't even stand to look at her. She was still the same person she'd been before. She was just one of five now, rather than six.  
  
"All rise"  
  
Automatically she followed the order, rising to her feet and waiting for her instruction to sit down. When it came she thought caught a glimpse of Ross walking out of the cramped courtroom, but in amongst the mass of bodies it was impossible to tell. Monica was still searching for him when the Judge spoke,  
  
"There has been a development since yesterday. The previous charges still stand but added to them is the charge of first-degree murder against Ms Phoebe Buffay, "he paused while the Jury made a note of this before addressing the prosecution, "Ms Hayden-Smith you may pick up your case from yesterdays point"  
  
Monica watched as the blonde woman nodded towards him, before standing and addressing the entire room, "I wish to call my first witness. Mrs Jennifer O'Connell"  
  
A door opened and a pretty brunette walked in, dressed in what Monica assumed was her best suit. The woman walked towards the seat Monica had been placed in yesterday and stood there as the uniformed guard made her promise as he had done with Monica. The woman sat down and waited. Apparently for her questioning to begin.  
  
"Ladies and gentleman of the Jury. Mrs O'Connell was in Central Perk Coffee House on the night of November 22nd. She was in there at the very time Ms Monica Geller is accused of opening fire on the occupants of that coffee house."  
  
Monica froze. There was a witness. A person had been in there with them all. Had heard the screams, the struggles, the shouts, the lives taken. A person could finally tell her once and for all if she had been there. If she had killed them, towered over them, laughed as they pleaded for their lives. If it had been she who had pulled the trigger. Killing her Phoebe.  
  
"Mrs O'Connell, could you tell us in your own words what happened on that night?"  
  
This was it.  
  
No more wondering.  
  
Only the truth.  
  
She would know  
  
This woman had the information Monica so wished she too possessed.  
  
It would be shared.  
  
It would finally be over.


	11. Condemed

_Thanks for all the nice reviews people! They meant a lot to me! I passed all my exams btw so go me mini Mexican Wave. This is part 11 and I hope you enjoy! Just tell me what you think! lol_

**While You Were Sleeping**

**Part 11**

"I was walking back from doing some Christmas shopping. My friend had always recommended Central Perk to me, so when I passed by I decided to call in for a few minutes. Just as I walked through the door I dropped my paper. I knelt down to pick it up and ... and ... and I ... " she paused, breathing heavily before continuing, "I saw someone walk in front of me. There were quite far away and I only saw their shadow but then ... a woman at the table furthest from me said 'Hey' to this person, it was a friendly 'Hey', a greeting. Then there was a bang and the next thing I heard was a scream. Followed by a shot"  
  
"It's OK. You just take your time"  
  
"I didn't know what to do. I think I just panicked. I crawled out of the door and closed it as quietly as I could. I hadn't shut it when I came in, I ran down the street and phoned the police before I ran home. I didn't know what else to do. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry"  
  
"It's OK. It wasn't your fault. Just answer me this one question please Mrs O'Connell. Did the victims know their attacker?"  
  
There was a pause. The air heavy with it's silence.  
  
"Yes. Yes, I believe they did"

--------------------  
  
In that instant her world crashed down. It's strange how something so momentous can happen in total silence. How a woman's life can be ripped apart before her very eyes in a room full of people she didn't even know. They decided her fate but in that instant she knew which way they would go. No one would believe her now.

--------------------  
  
"Thank you Mrs O'Connell. You may sit down now"  
  
Monica watched again as the strange woman moved to her seat. Her evidence confirming Monica's guilt. The victims knew their killer. They all knew her. She was the killer. Nothing could change that now. No matter what she did, where she went or who she met she would always be a serial killer to them. The woman who had wiped out a coffee house in downtown New York and sat back while her friends died around her.  
  
Part of her longed to shout out, tell them it wasn't true. Tell them she hadn't done that, she'd not been there. But she couldn't. Because she didn't know what had happened while she'd been sleeping. Who had screamed to awaken her.  
  
"Would the Jury now meet to discuss their verdict"  
  
Monica was shaken out of her thoughts abruptly. Sitting there she realised Ross was stepping down from the witness stand and hr lawyer, as well as the blonde woman, were doing the same. It was over now. Nothing she could do would ever change their opinions. She saw them, the twelve, walking towards a door at the back of the courtroom. She knew from there they would discuss her. Her motive. Her hatred. Her personal business, dragged around the room for all to see.  
  
But it was done now.  
  
She couldn't change it.  
  
All she could do was  
  
Wait  
  
And hope

------------------  
  
That is how she passed the next hours, days, weeks. She knew in her mind it had only been a few days since she had been confined to her cell again. But her body felt as though she had been there for years.  
  
Eventually on the third day, there was a glimmer. Not of hope. Just a glimmer.  
  
"Miss Geller, we need to take you back upstairs now"  
  
Monica walked with them, up the first flight of stairs, passed numerous exits, around the staircases and eventually through the heavy oak door which led to her courtroom. Her fate. As soon as she entered the Judge began.  
  
"Ladies and gentlemen of the Jury, have you reached a decision upon which you all agree?"  
  
Monica's heart caught in her chest as she saw the foreman stand up. She watched him as her nervously patted his brow with a crisp white handkerchief. Her eyes never left him. As he stepped forward, away from the others, she closed her eyes. She heard him take a breath in the silence and her own breathing stopped. This was it. This was the moment.  
  
"No, your honour"


	12. Guilty?

_Thanks_ _for all the nice reviews guys! And I know you must hate me because I keep saying this, but I will update more often! The story is almost finished now (only one more Part to write, and the ending is done) so I can just update, without having to actually write anything. But I was thinking, do you think Monica really did it? If not, who do you think it was? Answers on a postcard please :P_

__

**While You Were Sleeping**

**Part 12**

****

No  
  
They couldn't decide  
  
The waiting was not over  
  
It would never be over  
  
Monica stood aside as the guards positioned themselves next to here. She didn't speak as they led her back down, towards her cell. She couldn't breath. She blamed the men and women. They should have known. They shouldn't have told her they couldn't decide. They should have made their decision and told her, she needed to know. She couldn't stand the waiting anymore. The pain of falling asleep every night without her husband by her side. Never knowing when she'd see him again.  
  
"Miss Geller. Follow me"  
  
Those were the only words they spoke to her that day. The guards whom she now saw more than her own family didn't even speak to her now. They all knew she'd done it. They all knew she was a murderer. They all knew how she'd followed them back down. Taken a gun and shot them all. Sparing Ross for reasons even she didn't know. She'd –  
  
Stop it!  
  
She was innocent. She was she was she was she was she was  
  
Almost without her knowledge, Monica found herself back in her cell. The cell she now expected to become her home. In the four months she had been here, very little had changed. The duvet was cleaner. The toiletries and various books, remnants of Ross' earlier visits, now nonexistent, were arranged alphabetically. Apart from that nothing in this room told her that she lived here. Nothing screamed out her name, her voice, her identity. It was bare. It would always be bare. Monica knew that, if nothing else.  
  
She lay down without knowing what she was doing. Her muscles wouldn't work any more tonight. Not after today. Not when all hope was gone. All she could wish for now was a quiet night. A night where the screams couldn't get to her.  
  
Ross walked down the corridor for the first time in almost two months. Even in that time nothing had changed. He hadn't expected it to. A place where they kept people like ... people like ... people like her. Well, it couldn't be too cheerful could it? After everything they'd done why did they deserve cheer? They get nice, brightly painted walls while he was left at home, grieving for his daughter, looking after his wife. Rachel was awake now. Still in hospital, unable to speak, but she was awake. He could gaze into her eyes once more. The doctors weren't sure if she'd ever speak again. Ross tried to push that thought to the back of his mind. She was alive. That was more than five people could say.  
  
"Mr Geller, she's just down the end of the corridor. You know the way?"  
  
Ross nodded and mumbled that he did. He doubted he would ever forget this corridor. And the room at the end of it as long as he lived.  
  
He followed the guard's outstretched arm anyway, keeping to the right all the time. When he reached the end he saw her, lying face up on her bed. He felt his anger rise as he saw how she slept. How she could find a release when all he heard were screams. Lives. Struggles. He fought the urge to yell at her, shout, scream. The way she had made them. But he knew, deep down inside, that that would solve nothing. Swallowing harshly he whispered her name,  
  
"Monica"  
  
and then louder,  
  
"Monica"  
  
before shouting it at her, his anger rapidly rising,  
  
"MONICA!"  
  
She woke up then. He stared down at her, still standing. The officer had offered him a private room where they could talk. It wasn't necessary. He wasn't staying long.  
  
"Ross!" he heard her exclaim, she seemed pleased to see him, "What are you ... ? What are you doing here?"  
  
He swallowed again, "I'm not staying long. I just thought you should know we buried Phoebe today. Rachel couldn't stand it. She's awake now. Can't remember anything about it. Joey and Chandler are still in hospital. Chandler's getting better. He should come off the sedation soon. But," his voice cracked, "But, they don't think Joey will ever wake up. He's being kept alive by the machines now. I just thought you should know". He made to walk away.  
  
"Ross! Wait!"  
  
Against his better judgement. Against the voice inside his head telling him to go. Leave. Walk away now. Against all his instincts, he turned around. He knew after this he would never see her again. No matter which way the Jury went, he couldn't cope with that doubt that would always be in the back of his mind. But no matter what that doubt told him, he couldn't change her being his sister, his children's aunt. He stared at her, waiting for her to speak.  
  
"Ross. I ... I don't know what to say," she paused, "I'm innocent. I couldn't hurt them. You know that. I couldn't ... I loved," she corrected herself, "I love them. I love them all. Ross please don't leave me here. Please"  
  
He saw the tears fill her eyes and in a moment of weakness, or compassion. To this day he isn't sure which, he reached through the bars and held her hand. Held it until she was cried out. Until now more tears could fall. He them calmly walked away. And closed another chapter of his life.


	13. Verdict

_Thanks for all the reviews feels happy and warm inside. _

_ShropshireLass - yes they did know lots of people, but Monica was the only one in the building without an alibi, she was close to the group and, so the police believe, had a motive to try and kill them. All the witness was doing was saying the killer wasn't just a random gunman who burst in. _

_And just one more point, because I am sharing it with everyone! I got into my first choice uni!!! Sheffield here I come!_

**While You Were Sleeping**

**Part 13**

"Ross! Ross!", Rachel shouted through their living room, towards the kitchen where Ross was making her breakfast. Ever since she'd come home he'd been practically walking on eggshells around her. Treating her as though she was made of glass, about to break at any time. She didn't mind it most of the time. Knew Ross held himself responsible for ... for what had happened. He was Monica's brother, the only one who wasn't shot. She understood his logic, but she couldn't blame him for Monica's behaviour. She must have been really ill to even think about doing something like ... well ... like shooting an entire coffee shop. Despite that though, Rachel still couldn't bring herself to believe Monica had done it. It just didn't sound like her at all. And she couldn't place her to the shooting. No matter how hard she tried.

"Hey Ross!" she yelled again, hoping he'd hear her this time, she couldn't stand shouting, "Ross!"

"What?!" came the annoyed reply

Rachel took a deep breath before ushering out her next sentence, "They announce the verdict in five minutes. It's all over the news ... "she heard him move about in the room next to her, but he didn't come through. Rachel assumed he didn't want to know. It wouldn't make much difference to him anyway. He'd cut Monica completely out of his life; if she was guilty then he had been right. If she was innocent then there was no chance of him apologising and welcoming her back with open arms. Rachel simply went back to reading her magazine, and waiting for her breakfast.

Ross eventually knew he had to enter the living room. Rachel wouldn't want cold breakfast. It didn't make it any easier though, knowing his sisters verdict was announced today. Had probably already been announced. He didn't know which was worse. He balanced the tray in his hands and pushed open the swing door, walking towards where Rachel was sitting.

"Here you go" he announced grandly as he set the tray down next to her, making sure she had a cushion on her knee before he placed it down, "Bon appetite"

"Ross, you know I won't suddenly keel over and die if you forget to fluff my pillow once you know"

"I know" he replied, fluffing her pillow, "I just like to, that's all". He knew she was about to come back at him, argue that she was stronger than he thought. That she could accept her child was dead, she'd never even realised at the time. She could come to terms with the fact that she'd never be a mother, that she could forgive Monica for robbing her of her womb, her child, her life. Tell him that she could grieve for Phoebe, and she didn't need him helping her every step of the way. Try and convince him that she would be fine for five minutes, that she didn't need a minder when he knew she did. Sensing the brewing argument he changed the subject quickly, "So, you wanna see what's on the TV?"

He grabbed the remote and pressed the first button his thumb found, Rachel realised a second before he did that this was a mistake. Suddenly the image of his sister flashed in front of him. He was momentarily confused by why it was there. He stared at it for what felt like an eternity before he turned his eyes down towards the headline at the bottom of the screen.

Monica Geller found ...

This was it. This was her moment. Her last moment of freedom, or her first of guilt. Whichever the twelve choose it would always be her moment. Nothing could change that now. Not her actions, or the beliefs of any of the twelve. They still hadn't reached a unanimous decision. The Judge had eventually told them to find one upon which ten or more of them agreed. Monica didn't like the idea of that. It meant people could believe her innocence and she could still be found guilty. It didn't seem to make any sense.

"Miss Geller, follow me please"

Monica followed the guard down the corridors she had become some familiar with. She now knew when to duck, or shift her weight to her left in order to avoid the uneven flooring. It was too familiar to her now. But she would be leaving there tonight. She would never have to see it again. She would either be taken home, if she still had a home, or to a maximum security jail across town. Monica didn't know which was worse.

Taking her usual seat opposite the Judge, Monica quickly scanned her eyes around the familiar room, looking for a face, any face. There was none. Even her parents weren't there. She knew why. They couldn't watch their little girl be sent to prison. If she was acquitted they'd be on the phone as soon as they could, telling her they were sorry and they loved her. If she was sentenced she'd probably never heard from them again.

"Monica Elaine Geller," the Judge began, "You have been charged with five counts of murder in the first degree, attempted murder, wounding with intent and false imprisonment. Do you understand the charges?"

Monica nodded.

"Mr Foreman, have the Jury reached a decision upon which ten or more of you agree?"

Monica held her breath as the foreman nodded, and then repeated, "Yes your Honour"

"How do you find the defendant?"

"We find the defendant ... "


	14. Emotions

_Thanks for the reviews guys! And the more I get the quicker I update :P _

_Guest - Thanks for your review. I'll try and answer your questions as best I can ... _

_First of all, the story does have several plot holes where I've been unable to fill, if I'm being honest. If I'm not then I'm trying to show Monica's confusion by not revealing all the details._

_Re. Central Perk, it happened at night, the Friends' were meant to be the last few customers left, and with it being dark people may not have seen much. I realise this is weak, but it's the best I can do! The witness was one women who happened to be there and on her way in. Everyone who was in the Coffee House at the time was shot, or in Ross' case, attacked. And the witness ran as soon as the first shot as fired, she wouldn't have seen anyone leave. Also, it is never revealed how long it took her to phone the police. She could have run home, tried to calm down and then phoned when she realised she needed to. _

_Gunther was among the victims, I only realised when you said this that I'd not mentioned him by name! And there were 8 people at Central Perk, including Gunther and the Friends. 4 were killed immediatly, 3 were shot and Ross was knocked out.I know regular guns only usually fire 6 rounds, so lets pretend one bullet got two people :)_

_Hope that's cleared some things up. If anythings still unclear then lemme know!_

While You Were Sleeping

Part 14

Ross stared at the TV screen, at his sister's face. He numbly leaned over and increase the volume. Suddenly the newsreaders voice boomed into his lounge,

"For those of you just joining us, New York's most talked about trial delivered it's verdict early this morning. Monica Geller was found guilty of all charges. She is yet to be sentenced but insiders believe the death penalty is likely to be issued. Just in case some of you can't remember the details, Miss Geller stormed into a coffee shop West of Bedford and Grove and shot dead four employees and her friend, Phoebe Buffay. Miss Geller also shot Rachel Green, Joey Tribianni and her husband, Chandler Bing as well as knocking her brother Ross, unconscious."

Ross continued to stare, not even feeling Rachel's arms slowly winding their way around his body.

Guilty.

Monica

Guilty?

It was definite now. His sister was a murderer. A serial killer. Someone who had tried to kill him and his wife. A cold blooded killer, devoid of human emotion. That's what the papers had called her. His sister, devoid of emotion. The woman he had lived with for 16 years, he'd been best man at her wedding. He'd let her cry in his arms when boyfriend after boyfriend broke her heart. And she'd tried to kill him, she had killed his friend, his Phoebe. It just didn't make any sense.

Nothing made any sense any more.

--------------------

Guilty

She was guilty

She was a murderer

And she didn't even know if she had done it

She couldn't remember feeling the cold metal on her hands, the power she must have felt as she forced them all to their knees. The rush as she pulled the trigger, running her finger along it teasingly before shooting. Feeling the bullet leave the barrel in almost slow motion, having to step backwards under the force of the shot. And then doing this to a further six people. Shooting them all, not caring that they were her friends. Maybe that's what made it all worthwhile for her? That for once she was in the spotlight, she was the one everyone was looking at.

Not Rachel with her perfect hair, perfect body, perfect marriage and perfect pregnancy.

Not Phoebe with her infectious laugh, her confidence, her great boyfriends. Her ability to go to the edge and then come back smiling.

Not Joey with his magnetism, his lovable vulnerability, his great body, his sweet little ways.

Not Chandler with his jokes, his good heart, his smile, his laugh, Everything about him that made him Chandler.

For once it was her they were all looking at, listening to, fearing. Praying she wouldn't snap. Shoot them, begging at her feet. Screaming as she shot them one by one, making them watch as people were killed and injured. Making them all suffer as she had, before she calmly walked out of the building and back into her apartment. Falling asleep as if nothing had out of the ordinary had just taken place.

Was that how it had happened? Had she really felt that way? Behaved that way? Was she even capable of it? She didn't know.

"Miss Geller, we need to move you now"

Monica nodded, and continued gathering up the few photo's she had been allowed to keep in her cell. She was being moved to a holding cell tonight. Before being sentenced tomorrow. If she got life she'd go to a small prison on the outskirts of New Jersey. If she got the death penalty, she'd be sent somewhere else until her date came. Then she would need a room anymore. She grabbed the last remaining photo, the one of her wedding day.

She smiled

Her and Chandler were at the front of the picture, still in their outfits. He was feeding her a piece of wedding cake, but she was giggling too much to be able to eat it. Rachel was stood in the corner, trying to get what she called a "nice picture of them", Ross was stood next to her, attempting to wrestle the camera from her grip. Phoebe was running across the picture, behind Monica and Chandler, to try and separate Ross and Rachel. And Joey was just stood next to Chandler, proudly staring down at them.

Monica loved this picture, loved it more than anything else she owned. Looking at it now she realised she had just been found guilty of trying to kill these people, of taking the life of the pretty blonde. The tears came, Monica was handcuffed. The cell door slammed shut.

Goodbye


	15. Gasping

_Thanks again for being so patient with this. No excuses this time, I just plain forgot! And, now I've finally finished this I can tell you that it is 22 chapters long, so you've got 7 to go! Enjoy, and review!_

_Nina_

****

**While You Were Sleeping**

**Part 15**

A gasp

Chandler felt the air surging into his body; he felt the rush of emotions that came with that one breath. He felt a rush as he experienced tastes long forgotten to him. He continued to breathe short, sharp gasps that eventually began to satisfy his thirst. As more and more ir filled his body, he felt his brain begin to work again. He could feel his mind starting to question his surroundings, wonder why he was lying on crisp, white sheets when he had last lain on a floor, a familiar floor. After IT had happened.

Suddenly the door banged open and Chandler saw Ross walk in and sit down without realising his friend was now awake. Chandler watched, waiting for the perfect moment to reveal himself, when Ross quietly began to sob, burying his head deep into his hands.

"Things can't be that bad", he heard himself say, almost to himself. He watched, a small smile on his face, as Ross leapt out of his seat and darted his eyes in Chandler's direction.

"You're … you're … you're … you're awake!" Ross exclaimed finally, after several seconds of simply leaving his mouth open.

Chandler grinned, turning to a grimace as a wave of pain hit him, "Well noticed. You were always good with your deduction and observation skills", he saw Ross relax slightly and as he resumed his seat, Chandler took it as a good sign and continued, "Erm … why exactly am I here? Was it at least exciting? Oh God, I didn't just fall over did I? Where's Monica? Has she gone for a drink? I guess she got bored of just watching me lie here, huh? Sorry, one question at a time" he sat back and waited for Ross' answers. Instead he watched as Ross' face became confused, and then finally shocked.

"Don't you remember anything about … about it?"

Chandler shook his head, a bemused smile on his face.

"You were … you were shot – " Ross began. As he told Chandler the tale he paused only to give his friend a moment when he spoke of Phoebe's death. Allowing him the time to attempt to deal with the shock. He finally finished over half an hour later.

Chandler stayed silent, simply watching Ross as the thoughts pulsated through his brain. Phoebe was dead. Murdered. Joey, his best friend Joey, was about to go the same way. Monica was probably dead. His soul mate was almost certainly gone. Someone had taken everything from him and he needed to know who.

"Who?" he said simply.

Ross paused and looked down at his hands as he mumbled the answer. Just loud enough for Chandler to hear,

"Monica"

--------------------

"Monica E Geller"

Monica stepped forward as he name was called. Silently she collected her post, three standard brown envelopes. One she assumed was from her father. Her mother hadn't contacted her since she's been arrested, Monica didn't blame her. She walked quickly towards a corner of the yard when she hoped she wouldn't be disturbed. She read her fathers note, full of promises that she'd be out soon, promises that she'd be given a lenient sentence. Smiling she folded the letter and placed it delicately in her inside pocket. She knew as well as her father did that the judge would not be lenient. The public wouldn't stand for it.

She slowly picked up her second letter and smiled even wider as she recognised Ross' neat handwriting. Like her mother, Ross had practically severed all ties with her in the weeks following her arrest. At least contact meant he was finally coming to terms with it. She ripped open his letter and gazed in disappointment at the two lines hastily scrawled on hospital paper.

_"Chandler's off the sedation. Was asking after you. Just thought you should know,_

_Ross"_

Chandler was asking after her, the pleasure that thought gave her was dashed when she realised that he would know now. He would understand that she was the one who had put him in the hospital in the first place. She was the monster who had forced him to watch as she killed his friends. She was the person you had taken pleasure in shooting them all, one by one. How could any person ever accept that? Even she, months on, couldn't fully accept that she had done it. She was legally guilty of the crime but someone deep inside she still questioned it.

Brushing those thoughts away, she knew they would achieve nothing, not now. Not when her fate was already sealed. Shaking her head quickly she opened her third letter, expecting the regular junk she usually received from her lawyer. She skimmed over the opening paragraph but as her eyes came to rest on the middle paragraph she felt the breath being forced from her body,

_"Sentencing begins tomorrow. The prosecution is recommending the death penalty, I think the judge agrees"_

Death

A life for a life

A shout?

No use

A scream?

Pointless

A struggle

Why?

A life

Fair?


	16. Innocence

_Thanks again for all the nice reviews! Here's Part 16 for you all! And remember, review review review!_

_Nina_

**While You Were Sleeping**

**Part 16**

Monica walked back from the courtroom, her body feeling as though it was not her own. She could barely feel her feet making contact with the solid ground as she was escorted back to the police van. The van that would take her to yet another wing of the prison. Only this time she wouldn't be there for life. The judge had estimated five years. Five years and she'd be taken from her cell and lead along a small corridor before being injected with enough drugs to kill her. And all for a crime she wasn't sure if she'd committed. How could she be punished when she didn't even know if she was guilty?

Stop it Monica!

Stop it!

Stop it!

Stop it!

She was guilty, she was a murderer. The entire country knew it now. The entire country knew what she was. They knew.

Even if she didn't.

--------------------

Chandler snapped the clasp shut on the red holdall, now resting on his bed. He'd wanted the blue one but Monica had insisted that the red would match more of his clothes.

Monica …

Had she known when she paid for it that her husband, her husband, would be using it when he left hospital. After she shot him, after she murdered their friends, people they knew. But, and still the question wouldn't leave him alone, did she?

He still couldn't picture Monica, a gun in her hand, towering over them, forcing them all into a corner before shooting them, one by one. Making them watch as each of them went down. Laughing, enjoying the power? She'd always liked being in control, but had she enjoyed that? Was she even capable of that?

Did he even know her? Had he ever really known her?

He needed to see her …

--------------------

"Thank you Mr Hargreaves, yes I understand. I do … it's just I think she has a right … I know it won't affect her sentence … of course … I'm just thinking as her friend … I understand, of course I do … yes Mr Hargreaves … no good at all. Thank you for your time … goodbye"

Rachel hung up, not feeling any better than when she'd dialled the number. Sitting down on her newly bought sofa she began thinking of anyone else who might be able to help her, then it suddenly struck her, why she needed help in the first place. Because of Joey … because he'd finally gone. Her best friend, her roomie, her everything had gone. And she needed to let his killer know, no matter what Monica had done, Rachel knew she still cared about her friends, and she needed to know that Joey was … was … she couldn't even bring herself to say the words. She couldn't even believe them, couldn't yet accept that the last year had even happened. Couldn't yet accept that she'd never see Joey and Phoebe, Iher/I Joey and Phoebe, again. That Chandler couldn't even face cracking jokes anymore, that she'd never have the child she wanted. Never. And that Monica was responsible for all this? It just didn't add up, somewhere in her brain it just didn't make sense.

Shaking the thoughts from her head, Rachel reached for the phone again, the number of Monica's wing staring up at her from the hastily scrawled note.

555-0175

Seven numbers. That was all. Seven numbers and she could get a visiting order, go and see Monica. Try and sort everything out. Tell her about Joey … mention that Chandler had been discharged. Try and inject some form of normality to the proceedings.

Dialling quickly before she had the chance to change her mind, she had already decided she would give them two minutes to answer before she hung up. She didn't even have to wait twenty seconds.

"Dawson Wing, how can I help you?"

Rachel paused, unsure of how to proceed, stuttered her prepared sentence out, "It's Rachel … Green … I was … I was …just … well .. I'm Monica Geller's friend …I wondered if I could request a … a … a … a visit please?"

She could hear papers being rustled on the other end, "I'll send you a visiting form, if you send it back straight away you can come on the 12th if you like"

Rachel didn't even need to check her diary, if she had anything planned she'd cancel it. She needed to see Monica. "Great, thanks. Erm … could I request a private room? Only I have some bad news for her … "

The woman said yes, of course, and Rachel hung up, suddenly aware that the first time she would see her best friend in a year would be in a prison, while she was breaking the news of a friends death. She wasn't even sure what state Monica would be in. The lawyers and doctors wouldn't tell her, she wasn't family, and Ross had made it clear he wanted nothing more to do with his sister.

Would she even want to see her?


	17. Visiting

_Thanks for all the reviews guys! And here's chapter 17, without a month long delay! Enjoy, and click that button!_

_Nina_

**While You Were Sleeping**

**Part 17**

Monica looked up as the door opened and the guard ushered in the figure. Monica continued staring out towards the prison yard, inactive this early in the morning. She didn't even know for sure who was visiting her, having only been told this morning that she had a visitor. Given the privileged use of the private room, Monica had assumed it was her lawyer, attempting to keep her up to date, but the slim female figure now walking in was definitely not that of her male, middle-aged lawyer. Squinting slightly against the harsh lights the prison service apparently thought were a good idea, she caught a glimpse of brunette hair, before the person was suddenly sitting opposite her.

"You have thirty minutes"

Monica nodded in the general direction of the warden as she exited the room, try as she might she couldn't take her eyes away from her visitor, from the person whom up until about thirty seconds ago she had assumed was her lawyer. But as Rachel stared across the table at her, a face she thought she would never see again was actually right there in front of her.

"Hey Monica"

Monica contemplated smiling, she really did. She wondered if it would be easier, quicker, and less painless for all involved if she smiled, sat back, and waited for whatever Rachel was about to say. Heck, she was sitting there because the entire world believed she gunned down her friends, Rachel included. This could hardly be counted as a social visit.

"What do you want, Rachel?"

Sure it sounded harsh but why shouldn't she be harsh? Ever since Phoebe had died Ross had practically forgotten he had a sister. He'd cut her from his life and pretended she'd never existed. He believed she was guilty, he'd as much as admitted it. And Rachel had stood by him through all of this. Had probably never batted an eyelash when he mentioned that he was never going to see his sister again. And now she was here, expecting Monica to … to what? To sit there and beg for her forgiveness for a crime Monica wasn't even sure she'd committed?

"Monica, please don't be like that … "

That wasn't even worth answering. If she'd cared she'd have called, she'd have let her know, somehow, that she was thinking of her. That she knew Ross was being an idiot, but she was letting him realise it on his own. That she knew Monica was innocent, that she believed in her. Instead she'd stayed away, pretended ignorance was bliss, and suddenly she wanted Monica to be civil to her?

"Monica come on, it's me"

But it wasn't. Not really. The Rachel she'd known would never have abandoned her when she needed her friends the most. She'd have stood by her the entire time. No matter what. She wouldn't have just ignored her for six months. Not the Rachel she knew. Monica continued staring straight ahead, not even caring that she was being rude. Not even caring that Rachel was growing more and more upset. It served her right for all the times she'd sat in her cell crying herself to sleep. She heard Rachel sigh, exasperated.

"Look, I didn't have to come here today you know? Everyone told me not to, Ross, your parents, your lawyer. They all said it was pointless but I thought you needed to … "

So Rachel was suddenly the martyr? The poor repressed victim who'd stood up for herself. She actually wanted Monica to congratulate her for coming to visit? What did she expect, a pat on the back and a little certificate? Rachel had ignored her for over six months and suddenly she paid a visit and she wanted praise? Monica didn't even blink when Rachel stood up and walked to the door. She didn't even care when she saw the single tear trail its way down her cheek. For all she knew, Rachel was playing the tortured heroine again. Monica only looked up as the door slammed shut, seconds after Rachel had uttered her final words,

"Joey died by the way. Just thought you should know"

---------------------

Standing outside the foreboding prison building Chandler felt himself shudder. Some part of him, buried deep inside, still couldn't accept that his wife, his one true love, his soul mate, was imprisoned inside that building. It was just so un … Monica. Without even realising what he was doing he began to wonder how she'd organise the plants dotted haphazardly around the yard. How she'd change the grey walls for something more inviting. He'd practically rearranged the entire front entrance before he realised why he was there.

Walking through the security gates he began practicing his opening. He wasn't even sure how he'd feel when he saw her; she'd been imprisoned for trying to kill him. She was on death row for God's sake. How was he meant to deal with that?

"Name?"

Chandler reeled off his details, now anxious to just get this over with. He still wasn't sure how he'd react, whether he'd want to cry or leap across the table and strangle her with his bare hands. But, he knew that seeing her would make him feel something, and then he could deal with that and move on. Close this part of his life because the one thing he was sure of, was that it was not Ihis/I Monica he was going to see.

"It's just through there"

Walking into the dimly lit room he blinked as his eyes adjusted. As soon as he could see clearly he saw her. Sitting on the other side of the table, he face buried in her arms. She looked up as the door creaked shut behind him and in the instant their eyes met he was sure of one thing,

His Monica was innocent.


	18. Publicating

_First of all, in case I don't update until again until after Christmas, I hope you all have a good 'un and Santa brings you everything you wanted! Merry Christmas! And for my present, could I have lots of nice reviews please? Pwetty please?_

_Nina_

**While You Were Sleeping**

**Part 18**

"Yes I understand … no I do … honestly I do … I can't explain it, I just … I just know, OK?"

Chandler sighed, exasperated. He knew he sounded crazy, but he just had this feeling that he couldn't explain. He knew Monica was innocent, proving it was slightly more difficult though.

"Mr Bing, I cannot just walk before a judge and ask him to re-open a murder case because you have a feeling that your wife is innocent. I'm sorry"

"Isn't there anything you can do?"

Chandler could hear the frustration in his voice, "I'm sorry Mr Bing, but no. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm needed in court"

Chandler heard the dial tone and threw the phone across the room, too frustrated to do anything more constructive. He knew Monica was innocent, he was certain. But no one else seemed to believe him. Deep down he didn't blame them, they probably thought he'd either lost his grip on reality after the accident, or that he was some weirdo desperately clinging to the hope that his wife was innocent. He doubted he'd believe him under normal circumstances. But these weren't normal circumstances, Monica was in prison, and she was due to be executed in two years. Two years. That's all he had with her, unless he could prove to the rest of the world what he already knew.

Picking the phone up from beside his unmade bed, he began phoning any numbers he could think of. Hoping against hope that someone out there believed him.

---------------------

Ross looked up as the front door slammed closed. He knew it would be Rachel, the logic part of his brain told him that she was just coming back, probably laden with groceries that she needed to put away. But somewhere inside him, he didn't quite believe that, there was still the part of him that wondered if he was back in the coffee house. If today was his last. If the person walking into his house was armed, ready to strike.

"Hey sweetie, I'm back"

Rachel. Only where he heard her voice did he start to believe it really was her. That they were both safe again. For she was only really safe when they were together, protected from the world in their own private Heaven.

"Ross?"

"In here" he shouted back, unable to give a more significant answer until he could be totally sure she was safe, and not at the hands of some mad man.

"Hey, have you heard about Chandler?"

Ross shook his head. He hadn't left the house in about two weeks now so his access to gossip had somewhat dwindled. He waited for Rachel to elaborate, holding her hand as she spoke as though too scared to let her go again.

She smiled down at him, "He's trying to get a re-trial for Monica. He says she's innocent, he's certain she is, but apparently no one else will listen to him. I can understand why … "

Ross sat back, stunned. He couldn't believe Chandler, he was meant to be his best friend. How could he try and dig everything back up, just when Ross thought it was buried forever? As far as he was concerned Monica was dead. She'd been dead since the night she'd tried to kill them all. Nothing Chandler believed was going to change that, just because he couldn't except Monica for what she really was didn't mean he could force the rest of them to go through everything again.

"Don't worry", he replied, trying to be the strong one for the first time in weeks, "It won't amount to much. Everyone knows Monica's guilty, just because Chandler's got some weird idea in his head doesn't mean they'll stage an entire re-trail for it"

At least he hoped not.

Monica had taken enough from him, he couldn't stand it if she took his sanity as well.

-------------------

"OK, thank you"

Chandler hung up again and managed to control the urge to throw the phone again, instead he placed it gently on the table and screamed. No one believed him, and he was now at the bottom of his list. It looked as though in two years Monica would be gone. He'd tried his best, but sometimes even that wasn't good enough.

'No', a voice inside him yelled. You can do better, someone out there will believe you, someone will care.

Grabbing the phone book he searched frantically for a name, dialling the number as fast as his fingers would allow.

"Hello? Amelia Jones? It's Chandler Bing here, I just thought I should let you know, I've got a story for you. Monica Geller, yes that Monica Geller, she's innocent, and the police are looking into a re-trial"

If the police wouldn't listen to him. Maybe the public would.


	19. Changes

_Because I'm such a nice person I thought I'd give you this for your Christmas present! Only 3 more chapters after this one guys, so make my 2004 by reviewing while you can! Hehe. _

_Again, I hope you all have a happy/safe/holy Christmas. Pull a cracker for me!_

_Nina_

**While You Were Sleeping**

**Part 19**

Chandler idly flicked on his TV set and settled back into his old sofa, in his soon to be old apartment. He knew he couldn't stay there anymore, if he was honest he'd known ever since he can out of hospital. He couldn't live in his and Monica's old apartment while he waited for her to die in prison. It just wasn't right. And as much as he hated the idea of that happening he knew he had to accept that it would. His story had been in the paper over a week ago and so far nothing had happened. The lawyers, the judge, the entire system had ignored it. No one cared about her. And he couldn't deal with that.

Watching the black and white images of the old film he began checking through the list in his head. He'd already sold most of the big furniture. The bed, sofa and fridge were all he was taking. Everything else would be brought there. His clothes were packed, and Monica's had been sold, except for the few items the judge had allowed her to keep. He hated this, it was like she was already dead. Moving out of her apartment, selling her clothes. Cutting her, his wife, his soul mate, from his life. But it had to be done, Chandler knew that. It was better to loose her now, all ties severed, then to build up a relationship only to have it smashed again.

As his eyelids dropped he yearned for her touch, the lightness of her skin as it grazed him as he slept. But he knew that was over. He'd never hold her again, but as long as his memories weren't all around him, that would be ok.

Right?

--------------------

The clerk answered the phone, not even caring who was on the other end anymore. All he could think was that in another 20 minutes his shift would be over, and then some other poor sap could deal with whatever trivial matter was about to be reported. Picking up the receiver, the same monotonous voice ringing out, he spoke,

"NYPD, how can I help?"

The woman's voice was shy, hesitant, as though she desperately wanted to say something, but was unsure about whether she should, "Hello? I'd like to speak to the detective involved in the Monica Geller case please"

The guard didn't really care who she spoke to, as long as it wasn't him, but protocol made him continue speaking, "May I ask what this is in reference to?"

He could hear her breathing, weighing up her options, "My names Amber McGarvy. I believe Monica Geller is innocent, and I think I can prove it"

He paged her through, suddenly wishing he could stay, find out what was happening. The Geller case had been closed for months, she'd been tried and sentenced. The death penalty was due to be handed down in a few months, the entire world knew that. Lord knows why the women had decided to come forward now. Guilty conscience probably, he dealt with enough of them everyday.

Reclining in his seat, the night now still young, he eagerly waited, desperate to know what this women was telling the detective.

A shout

A scream

A struggle

A life

Regained?

-------------------

Chandler settled back into his sofa, a dog lying idly at his feet. He glanced quickly around hi new home, he hardwood floors creaking uneasily under his weight. He knew Monica would have loved this house, maybe that's why he'd chosen it. Even he wasn't so sure anymore. All he did know was that he needed some time alone right now. Time away from the world. No TV, no radio, no newspapers. Time to walk his dog, read a book and try and get his life back together. Time for just him.

Reaching down he lazily stroked the dogs soft chestnut fur, as he began to fall into the first peaceful nights sleep he'd had since, since before IT had happened.

Across town, no one else slept. The conversations carried on burning into the night. Monica Geller, innocent? The evening papers had all carried the same story, the story Chandler had wanted.

New evidence, a new witness. Proof that it wasn't her. It wasn't his Monica.

Monica Geller – Retrial.

Would be see her again? Hold her in his arms? Feel the warmth of her body against his? The scent of her hair as he embraced her? In his old sofa, buried deep in the heart of Texas, none of these thoughts entered Chandler's head. To have a new life, he needed to leave the old one behind.


	20. Freedom?

_Thanks for all the reviews! I hope you all had a brilliant Christmas! We had our first white Christmas for years so I spent all day in the snow! (Who says I'm mature?!) but anyway, after this there's only 2 more parts, so review and get me past the 100 mark! _

_Mwah!_

_Nina_

**While You Were Sleeping**

**Part 20**

Monica stared around her cell and prayed with all her heart that she would never have to see it again. She knew that was unlikely, how often were convicted murderers sent free, just like that? Never. She knew there was new evidence but her lawyer was keeping her in the dark, saying he didn't want anything to get out before he was certain. But there was someone else. Someone else they blamed. Monica wished she had a clue as to who it was, even a memory of the coffee shop on THAT night, a small snippet, a snatched glimpse of a stranger. Nothing came to her, nothing ever would. She had accepted that now. THAT night was just a black spot in her mind, she knew it always would be. All she could hope was that her remaining days passed quickly. Only twelve more months and it would all be over. She'd be free. In spirit at least.

"Miss Geller? If you'd like to follow me please"

Monica nodded as she began the slow walk to the police van, which would take her to the courthouse. It was a route she knew like the back of her hand. In a corner of her mind she wondered if Chandler would be there, if she'd finally get to see him again. All visits, except those of her lawyer, had been banned for the past few months. Depriving Monica of her one last cling to mankind. She knew Ross wouldn't be there, why would he be? To him she was already dead, this was nothing to him. She was nothing.

"All rise for the honourable Judge Simpson"

Monica stood up and glanced around the small room. No one she knew was there. Not a soul. No one in this world ever cared about her anymore, she was sure of that now. If she was released, who would be there to greet her? An empty bed and the obligatory cheque to help her get her life back. The life she no longer had.

--------------------

Chandler jolted awake as the phone rang, piercing the first real dreams he had had in what felt like years. Kicking the dog from under his feet, he began cursing as he searched for the phone in amongst the mess he hoped would soon become his life. Snatching it up he resisted the urge to yell into the receiver,

"Hello?"

"Chandler? Finally! It's Rachel, Rachel Green. I just wondered if you'd heard about Monica's … "

Chandler spoke over her, shaking his head and waving his hands, not caring that she couldn't actually see him. "No I haven't, and Rach? I don't want to." He heard her sharp intake of breath and cut her off again, not wanting to hear what she had to say. "I know it sounds harsh, I really do, but I need to move on. I can't live the rest of my life wondering about her. That's why I'm out here Rach, away from everyone. I need a new start, a fresh start. I just don't always like that that means leaving you guys behind. But I have to. Please don't call me again." He paused, wondering if that was too harsh, before adding, "Goodbye … " as he hung up.

He glanced down at the phone, torn as to whether he wanted it to remain silent, or whether he wanted it to burst to life, Rachel's voice on the other end telling him that he could never get rid of them. They were his friends and they loved him.

It didn't make a sound.

Fighting against the tears he grabbed the lead from the arm of the chair and whistled to the dog, now asleep in front of the TV.

"Come on boy. We're going to get our life back"

--------------------

Monica watched as the young women took to the stand and began speaking, each word echoed with fear.

"I'd know Mr Tuler for a number of years, we used to work together. I always knew he had a … a thing, for Miss Green. I laughed about it with the other girls, it was just a bit of harmless fun. Then when Mr Geller began dating her he became obsessed. He loved her, but he hated Mr Geller even more"

"Miss Kelly," Monica's lawyer interrupted, "Is it your belief that Mr Tuler was the one who opened fire on the night in question?"

Monica watched, her lungs now daring to work, as she waited. The girl nodded, and Monica believed, for the first time in years, that maybe, just maybe, she could have what remained of her life back.

The rest of the trial passed in a haze of witnesses, each one confirming G … Mr Tuler's obsession with Rachel, his deep hatred of Ross. Everything was clicking into place and Monica began to believe that maybe she was innocent. Maybe none of this had been her fault. Maybe the past year had never happened. Maybe if she just stepped outside, just a toe, then maybe Phoebe and Joey would be alive again. Maybe Rachel would be pregnant, Ross glowing with more pride than anyone thought possible. Maybe she could be herself again, have everything back that she thought she had lost forever.

Maybe all that could be hers again, maybe. Maybe people would understand now. Maybe the jury would believe her this time.

They did.


	21. Leaving

_Thanks for all the reviews! I got past 100! grins This is the penultimate part and I hope you all like it, so tell me what you think! _

_Nina_

_Happy New Year!_

**While You Were Sleeping**

**Part 21**

Ross stared at the paper in his hands. The headline screamed out at him, taunting him with their words.

_Monica Geller Innocent_

The one result he had dreaded. No … not dreaded … just secretly dreaded. Monica was his sister, she always would be, but somehow her being a murderer had been easier for him to deal with than her being innocent. He could blame somebody for everything if she was guilty. He could yell, scream and cut her from his life. Place her and everything to do with the past twelve months in a little box and throw away the key. But she was innocent, or at least that's what the jury believed.

He scanned the page, searching for another name, the name of the new killer. He froze when he eventually found it, accompanied by a recent picture. A Gunter Tuler, manager of Central Perk. Ross stared down at the familiar face and wondered what had driven him to it. They'd never really spoken to Gunther, never known his last name, his hobbies or interests. Why would he want to murder them all?

Reading on the answer was given to him.

"Tuler, obsessed for many years with Miss Green, finally snapped and launched his attack after Miss Green became pregnant with another mans baby"

Him. This was all because of him. Because he loved Rachel. It was somehow easier to accept Monica as the killer than it was to try and comprehend that Gunther had done it. It made no sense, he knew that, but it was the truth …

"Ross?" he heard someone ask as he continued to stare at the paper, gripped in his white hands. "You've heard then?", he didn't even have the strength to nod anymore. Rachel simply continued speaking, "She'll need somewhere to stay you know … "

He woke up them, realised the reality of it all. Monica was being released.

Today.

Soon.

Now.

And she needed somewhere to stay. He knew she couldn't stay here, knew Monica wouldn't want to stay here, the way he'd treated her. Suddenly, deep in his mind, he realised how to be a brother again. Picking up the phone he dialled the number as fast as his fingers would allow.

"Hello?" he asked as soon as he heard sound on the other end, "When's your next flight to Texas? … And are there any seats on that? … No, just the one please … Geller, my details should be in your system … Yes, I'll pick them up before boarding. Thank you" Hanging up he couldn't help smiling to himself. He knew this wouldn't make up for the past few months but it was a start. It was definitely a start.

"Ross" Rachel stated when he had hung up, "What the hell do you think you're doing?! Monica needs out support now, she doesn't need you throwing her as far away as you can get her! You could have at least waited a day … "

Ross didn't even speak, he simply held her close, softly stroking her hair and prayed that she, and Monica, would understand.

--------------------

Monica walked out of the grey building and felt the wind kiss her cheeks. For the first time in her life she felt free, free of anything and everything. The Jury had believed her, she was free, innocent. And she was never going back there, of that she was sure. Wrapping her arms around herself she smiled as the sun touched her skin and the birds began to sing. She wondered briefly if there would be any taxi's outside, she knew no one she knew would be there to meet her. They'd all made their feelings perfectly clear.

She noticed the couple at the edge of the parking lot and wondered what it felt like to be loved. To have someone there who actually cared that you'd been released, instead of a long and lonely taxi ride to a hotel. It was only when she got closer that Ross' gelled hair caught her eye.

"Ross … " she whispered, not even daring to believe it. She stood there, frozen as Rachel embraced her briefly. Ross stood there, and odd sort of smile on his face as he handed an envelope to her.

"Here are your tickets. Your plane leaves in about three hours"

Monica looked down at the plane tickets she was now holding. Monica couldn't even move, the tears she so desperately wished she could cry refused to come. She noticed an address scrawled hastily on the envelope and suddenly everything made sense. Ross was telling her to leave, now. Trying his best to make her exit as pain free as possible. She knew the house must have cost him, but she didn't care. She hadn't expected fanfare when she was released but never, never in all her life had she ever thought he could be so heartless.

Stepping into a cab, her hands still clasped around the tickets Monica couldn't find the strength to say goodbye. At least she knew what she really meant to him now, she told herself as she speed towards the airport, but in the darkness of the taxi those words were of no comfort to her.


	22. Ending

_So this is it. The end of almost a years work (practically). _

_So here it is, the end. Thank you all for reading it and sticking with it despite the months when I didn't update.Thank you all for reviewing, they made my day :D and I'm not sure if the ending is as clear as it could have been so lemme know if you get stuck! Hehe._

_And rossandrachelforever (I think that was your name ... ) to understand why Ross sent Monica to Texas you can either read back a few chapters, or read this one! _

_Just a little bit of news, I'm currently in the process of turning this into a novel, adding bits to the begining and explaining more about Monica's time in jain (only with original characters). If it ever gets picked up by a publisher I expect you all to read it! _

_Happy New Year dudes. _

_Nina_

**While You Were Sleeping**

**Part 22**

Monica walked off the plane, her eyes still red and bloodshot after hours of crying. She still couldn't quite comprehend that her life was effectively over. She was almost 40, so any chance of children was pretty much gone. Her one dream, her one ambition, the only thing she'd ever wanted to be, her chance to be a mother, gone. Her husband, her marriage, everything that she had held so close to her heart was gone now. Never to be hers again. Her family obviously didn't care about her anymore, the only words Ross had said to her since she'd been released were

"Here's your ticket. Your plane leaves in about three hours"

Not exactly the joyous reunion she'd wanted. Still, who could blame him? She'd been a convicted murderer for over five years; everyone probably still believed she was. She'd never be able to put it behind her. She'd never be able to get another job, who'd want to employ Monica Geller? The women who'd opened fire on a New York coffee house. No one. She'd never date again, she knew that. So her life from now on would be nothing. Complete and utter nothingness.

She walked over to a payphone and mechanically reached for the Yellow Pages in front of her, turning the pages until she found the number of a local cab company. She dialled the numbers without even thinking about it and waited outside, not even caring that the rain was beginning to fall. It didn't matter anymore, nothing did. No matter what she did, where she went, how well she hid, people would always find out who she was. Rooms would empty and conversations would die as soon as she approached them. And all because of one night, a night that was nothing to do with her.

Or was it?

--------------------

Rachel watched as Ross sat on the sofa, the tension visibly removed from his body now. She knew he'd hated this, having to watch Monica released when he'd cut all ties with her. In a strange way it had been easier for him to accept that she was a killer and have nothing to do with her, than to try and explain all that to her now she'd been acquitted. Still, sending her on a plane to Texas as soon as he saw her probably wasn't the best thing to do …

"You want a drink?"

Rachel shook her head, unable to look at him. She thought she knew him, thought he'd be there for her no matter what, but what if he did it again? Dumped her at the first sign of trouble, like he had Monica? What if he ran away because that was easier than to fight for a relationship?

"You OK, Rach?"

She looked up at him and suddenly all the emotion she'd suppressed came surging up.

"Why did you do it Ross?" she ignored his confused expression and continued, not even caring what she was saying anymore, just needing to say it. "Why did you just drop her without a second thought? She's your sister Ross, your little sister and as soon as she wasn't perfect anymore you ran away. Are you going to do that with me? I stay out late one night and suddenly you're gone? And today, you said one sentence to her, you didn't even apologise. How can you live with yourself? A plane ticket?! You gave her a plane ticket, some big hint to drop there Ross. How can you even sleep at night? You're really not the person I thought you were … "

She sat down, exhausted, turning her back on him, not even sure if she wanted him to defend himself. It would be easier if he simply accepted that he'd been an idiot, a heartless bastard, and phoned Monica in the morning to apologise. But that would never happen, this was Ross after all.

Ross smiled to himself, trying desperately to hide it from Rachel. She'd probably castrate him if she saw him smiling now. But he couldn't help it, and a part of him wanted desperately to tell her why, to tell her exactly why he'd put Monica on the first plane to Texas. Not yet. Not yet.

--------------------

Looking down at the piece of paper in her hand Monica repeated the address to her taxi driver.

"3500, Elmhurst Drive please"

He nodded. Monica sat in silence. Contemplating a strange, empty house. A house that she now had to live in, miles away from everyone and everything that she loved, that she had thought loved her. Until she made a mistake, was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Then suddenly she was evil and needed to be cut from their lives. She knew exactly why Ross had sent her here. Out of sight, out of mind right?

"$25.50 please"

Monica paid her driver and stared up at her new house. In the fading light of the sun it looked eerie, yet beautiful. Unoccupied, yet homely. But it still wasn't her home, it never could be. Not when everything she loved was back in New York. She was still watching the strange orange glow of the sun behind the house when she heard the door open and whipped around, terrified of who, of what, she might find.

He was letting a dog out; an Irish setter that bounded straight passed him, making a clear path towards the oak tree at the edge of the garden. She saw him laugh, his face older than she remembered, each new line adding more and more character. In that instant she realised exactly why Ross had sent her here, and she couldn't help but smile. Seeing him face her she feel in love,

A shout

"Chandler?"

A scream

"Monica?!"

A struggle

They ran

A life

Regained …

No one slept as the others suffered.

"Chandler … " she whispered as he wrapped his strong arms around her. Lifting her into the air as they spun around in the moonlight, the dog chasing at their feet. It was perfect, and Monica knew this was where she wanted to be. All alone, growing old together, and now she had Chandler all to herself, just like she'd always wanted. And she knew they wouldn't be bothered here, her one night of madness had made sure of that.


End file.
